“In all ways, but I think it’s as a friend that I admire you most.”
Mrs. Ussher smiled. “Yes,” she said, “I’m very devoted to my friends even when they don’t behave quite fairly to me. But I love my relations, too,” she added. “Max, since I’m to lose you so soon, I’d like to have a talk with you before lunch. Shall we go to my little study?”
Nancy’s eyes danced. “No, Laura,” she said, “he will not. He has just promised to teach me a new solitaire, and I won’t yield him to any one.”
Riatt, terrified at this proof that Nancy’s prophecy was coming true, resolved to cling to her.
“Sit down and learn the game, too, Laura,” he said. “It’s a very good one.”
“I want to speak to you about a business matter, Max.”
“I never attend to business during church hours, Laura,” he answered. “We’ll talk about it after lunch, if you like.”
Laura had learnt the art of yielding gracefully. “That will do just as well,” she said, and sat down to watch the game.
Presently Wickham, seeing that Mrs. Almar seemed to be safely engaged, ventured back. And they were all thus innocently occupied when luncheon was announced.
Christine came down looking particularly lovely. It is a precaution which a good-looking woman rarely fails to take in a crisis. She was wearing a deep blue dress trimmed with fur, and only needed a solid gold halo behind her head to make her look like a Byzantine saint.